


Where You Lead (I will Follow)

by MsEerie



Category: Power Rangers, Power Rangers (2017)
Genre: Friendship, Gen, M/M, Platonic Cuddling, Pre-Slash, Sickfic, pre-OT5
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-05
Updated: 2017-04-05
Packaged: 2018-10-15 06:00:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10551278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsEerie/pseuds/MsEerie
Summary: Jason gets sick in school, and his team are Good Friends. Zack frets over Jason's Hot Mouth(TM). Pre-Zack/Jason, implied Trini/Kim.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Tagged pre-slash because Zack thinks about how hot Jason's mouth is. SorRY, I don't know how to describe Dacre with out the words "fuckable". You have seen him, you know exactly what I'm talking about. 
> 
> This is exactly what it says on the tin: shameless sickfic, because sweaty, shivering, ill young men are Highly Attractive and deserve to be cuddled and cared for. 
> 
> Listen, we all have our fetishes.

For the most part, the team has classes together. There's a few classes they have alone - Billy's math and science classes, for example - but they stick together when they can. Now that Zack's actually showing up regularly, it turns out he has most of his classes with Jason, which goes a long way toward helping him get caught up. Jason says nothing, but Zack thinks he values the distraction of friends that turned from him once he was kicked off the football team. 

First period for them is U.S. History, Jason's favorite class. They sit in the back, and Jason makes Zach focus and pay attention, and after class Jason describes what they've learned from the opposite perspective, because he's a nerd.

Today, he's staring intently at his book, and not actually reading anything. His arms are crossed tightly over his stomach, and he's leaning against the table he shares with Zack. It's not even twenty minutes into class when Jason asks to go to the bathroom.

Their teacher rolls her eyes at Angel Grove's former golden boy, but lets him go.

Jason doesn't come back. 

When it's been another 20 minutes, Zack raises his hand.

"Can I go to the bathroom."

"Yes, and please keep an eye out for Jason."

Zack nods, and is out the door. 

Jason is easy to find: he's in the largest stall of the nearest men's bathroom, sitting on the floor and leaning on the wall next to the toilet. Zack can see his shoes through the gap.

Evidently, Jason hadn't had time to properly lock the door, because it swings open when Zack goes to tap on it. 

"Hey, man," he says softly.

Jason looks up at Zack, then reaches over to flush the toilet.

"You good?" Zack asks, wetting a paper towel and handing it to his friend. Jason takes it, and wipes it over his face, then pushes himself up against the wall.

"Yeah. Back to class?"

Zack laughs. "You're crazy. Man, no. Front office."

Jason doesn't say anything, and Zack wraps an arm around him. Jason is warm, and sticky. The hair at the back of his neck is damp, and he leans into Zack, only slightly, like he's not aware of doing it.

They haven't even walked through the door when front office lady clucks at them, "Flu? We had ten of those, yesterday. It's going around. Come around back, let's get your temperature."

Zack leads Jason around the desk, to the small, closet sized room with a cot, sink, and toilet, and deposits him on the cot. Jason slumps back against the wall, bonelessly.

"Now, I'm going to check your temperature, dear, but I can tell you right now you're going home for the rest of the day. Can you hold this under your tongue?" Jason looks at her, peering out from under his lashes doubtfully, but he opens his mouth all the same. 

Like that, his cheeks flushed and damp, his mouth open, lower lip pouted out, Jason looks...it makes Zack's throat go dry, and he can't help but stare.

"Now, do you mind going and getting Jason's things for him," the woman asks, turning to Zack. "You might as well pick up yours, first period is almost over."

He has to swallow before he can say anything. "Ah, yeah, I can do that," he says.

"Good." The woman nods. "What class are you in, I'll intercom your teacher and let her know."

"We have Mrs. Howell, for History."

"Alright. I'll look her right up."

Zack doesn't wait for her to call the teacher, and in fact walks in just as the intercom goes off.

"Mrs. Howell, Zack Taylor is picking up Jason Scott's belongings, as he will not be returning to class."

"Thank you," Mrs. Howell says, turning toward the intercom. "Zack, if you come talk to me after school today I'll tell you what both of you missed."

Zack nods at her. Already the class is filled with whispering, everyone wondering what Jason did, if he's in trouble.

When he gets back to the office, the door to the tiny room is shut, but Zack can hear coughing from within. 

"Thank you, dear," the front desk woman says. "Can you bring your friend this water bottle? I'm still trying to get a hold of his parents."

"Oh, uh, you won't be able to," Zack says, accepting the water bottle. "His dad works on a fishing boat? And he can't really be reached throughout the day. And his mom is a nurse, and she's not allowed to have her phone on her. I think you can call the hospital though?"

The woman looks troubled. "So neither of them would be able to come and get him, then."

Zack shrugs. "It's not normally a problem?" He says.

"Well, go give him that water. I'm going to see what I can do."

When he enters the room, Jason is once again slumped on the floor by the toilet. His eyes are closed, and he's twisted his head so one cheek is pressed against the cinderblock wall.

"Water for you," Zack holds out the bottle, letting the door shut gently behind him.

Jason cracks an eye, but doesn't move, so Zack sits down next to him.

"Miss Lady out there is tryin' to figure out what to do with you," he says, unscrewing the cap of the bottle and holding it out to Jason.

"Her name is Ms. Therese," Jason says, accepting the bottle but not drinking any of it. "Her youngest son graduated last year."

"Ms. Therese, whatever," Zach says. "Come on man, drink some of that."

Jason makes a face, but he takes half a sip, before handing the bottle back to Zach.

The door opens, and Ms. Therese comes in and sits on the bed. 

"I hope you drank some of that water, Jason," she says.

Jason, who's slumped over with his head tucked into Zack's neck, nods briefly.

"I've called you parole officer, Jason." Ms. Therese continued. "The note in your file said she had to be notified every time you left campus, and since no one else was able to pick you up, she's going to drive you home. She's on her way now. Zack, second period has already started, so I'm going to give you a pass."

Zach pushes himself up. "Feel better man. Text me, ok?"

Jason, eyes still closed, just nods.

Second period drags, and Zack spends it drawing circles in his notebook. It's Chinese, which he had signed up for in part to make his mom happy, but also because already speaking the language made it seem like an easy A. Speaking a language and reading it were two different things, though, and the class was harder than Zack anticipated. Today was a lecture day, and Zack should have been taking notes, but he couldn't focus, kept thinking about Jason...the heat radiating off his friend when he pressed his face into Zack's neck, his dark eyelashes against the fever-bright cheeks, the sweat soaked patch of hair at the nape of his neck.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he almost jumps when the bell rings. Instead, he shoves his things in his bag, and makes a beeline for the lunch table he and the other rangers normally sat at.

Kim and Trini are already there, writing each other notes on the same sheet of notebook paper and laughing, but they look up when Zack sits down by them.

"Hey, Crazy Girls," he said, grinning at them. "What sort of trouble are you getting up to?" 

Trini quickly flips the notebook over.

"Nothing," she says, defensively.

Zack laughs. "Whatever, crazy girls."

Just then, Billy bounds up, dropping a pile of...stuff...on the table. "Hey guys, where's Jason? We normally have English together but I didn't see him today."

Kim shrugs. "I haven't heard from him."

"His parole officer picked him up sometime in second period," Zack says.

"What." Kim says.

"But he wasn't in second period," Billy says, confused.

"He got sick in first period," Zack explains. "No one else could pick him up, so they called his parole officer to come take him home."

"Why didn't you just say that," Trini says, "Instead of trying to terrify us that our Great Leader was being arrested."

"Sorry guys," Zack says, grinning at them. "I figured I'd tell it in the way that was the most fun."

"Man, there is something very wrong with you," Billy says, taking out his lunch box. He piles a stack of sandwiches on the table. "Mom has decided she's feeding all of you, help me eat these."

Zack grins, and grabs one.

"So we're all going to Jason's after school, yeah?" Kim says. "We need a break from training anyway."

"What are we training for now, anyway," Trini asks. "Did anyone tell Zordon we bitch-slapped the witch into space?"

"We're not alone anymore though," Billy says. " Not that we ever were to begin with but still once one extra terrestrial shows up, others are going to follow and we need to be prepared for the inevitability."

"But there aren't any real threats right now," Kim says, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear, and pulling a segment out of the mandarin orange she's been peeling. "We got rid of the last one, and our Supreme Leader is out. I'm making all of you watch Gilmore Girls, there is no escape."

"Nooo," Trini says, laughing. "You can't make me!"

"You'll love it," Kim says with certainly. "Anyway, it's Jason's guilty pleasure."

"You're lying," Zack says.

"I'm not!" Kim replies. "It came out once in a game of truth or dare at a party last year. He got trashed for it for like a month, but like five girls still think that's the hottest thing they've ever heard a guy say."

"Man, that's just because they haven't heard the other nonsense that comes out of white boy's mouth," Trini says.

Zach winces, recalling the sounds he had heard Jason making earlier that day.

"Are you guys sure going by Jason's later is a good idea," he says, "He was pretty sick earlier, maybe he just wants to be left alone."

"Yes," Kimberly says, firmly. "Besides, I have to go over anyway, because I promised his mom I would pick up Sarah from school since she won't be home till later. If Jason is too sick to watch her, then someone else has to."

Zack shrugs, and focuses on eating the sandwich.

Thankfully, his remaining two classes are both with other rangers: Health, which he has with Trini, and gym, the only class he normally has with all the other rangers.

Their gym teacher doesn't generally know what to do with the class, so gym works more like a 90 minute recess. Sometimes, Jason makes them train, but most of the time, they chat: you can do whatever you want in gym as long as you keep moving. Today, they plot what they're going to do as soon as class lets out. Kim and Trini are going to the elementary school next door to get Sarah, and Billy's mom is picking him up, but he can talk her into dropping him off.

Zack's the only one who has nothing to do right after school, and Kim pushes him to go right over.

"He's been alone all day, Zack," she says. "I know you've been worried, I can tell, so just go over. You can prepare him for the whole team showing up."

He's saved from Billy and Trini joining in by the bell ringing, and he jumps up as quickly as possible, just to get away.

"Enjoy your alone time!" Trini calls after him.

Zack is in his car and out of the school lot in record time, totally forgetting to speak with his first period teacher. Jason actually doesn't live too far from school, just far enough that walking is impractical. He texts Jason as he peels out, just to give the other boy some sort of heads up.

_headed your way, sick boy_

The text back is all but incoherent, a string of letters, and then a selfie. Jason's sitting back against the tub, a towel wrapped over his head and shoulders, deep bruises under his eyes. He's white, his lips bloodless.

It's the most pathetic picture Zack has ever seen. He saves it into his phone. Another text follows it, this one just the string of numbers that will unlock Jason's garage and let Zack in.

_cant move let urself in_

_got it_ he texts back.

He arrives at the house only five minutes later. Finding Jason is easy, the house is quiet and he can hear the sound of gagging from the nearest bathroom.

"Gross," he says to himself, and goes to grab Jason a glass of water before he joins him.

Jason is still leaning over the toilet when Zack walks in, but he's not actively vomiting, just breathing heavily. 

"Water," Zack says, holding it out to his friend. Once Jason takes it, Zack grabs one of the washcloths that are stacked neatly on the bathroom counter, and runs one under the cold faucet before ringing it out.

"The whole team is coming to see you," Zack says, settling on the tile by Jason. "Thought you might want to clean up a bit."

Jason just closes his eyes, and sets the water glass down beside him. "They sure they want to see me like this?" he asks, his voice rough.

Zack begins to run the cloth over Jason's arms. "I don't think they really know what they are getting into," he says wryly. "But they wanted to come. And Kim said she has to watch your sister, so she'll be here anyway. Lift your head." Zack had finished wiping off Jason's arms, and now moved the cloth to Jason's neck, and face. Jason's lips parted and he sighed.

"S'nice." 

"Yeah?"

"It's cool. And I feel so gross." Jason frowned. 

"If you have ice packs, I can wrap them in a towel and put them on your neck," Zack offers.

"Yes, please," Jason says.

"Ok. Do you feel well enough to move to the couch?"

Jason frowns again. 

"What if I got a trash can and put it by the couch? You can always move back to the bathroom if you want, but the couch might be more comfortable."

Jason doesn't say anything, which Zack takes as acceptance. "I'll go set it up for you," he promises.

Five minutes later, Zack has set up a miniature haven on the couch: blankets from Jason's bed are spread across it, and he found a small garbage can to put next to it, like he promised. He also has the two ice packs wrapped in towels. 

He hears the toilet flush, and then Jason is shuffling out. His hair stands out like a halo around his head, all fluffed up from the towel he had been wearing like a blanket. His cheeks are flushing up again, probably a sign the fever is spiking, which makes Zack grateful for the ice packs he has ready.

Once Jason is on the couch, Zack settles in behind him, holding one ice pack to the back of Jason's neck. The other is pinned between his stomach and Jason's forehead, since Jason has decided to curl into him, taking up minimal space on the couch. They've only just settled into their positions when the door opens, and Sarah and the rest of the rangers spill in.

"Go to the kitchen, Sarah, and I'll make you a snack," Kim says, ushering in the little girl.

"Is Jason sleeping," Sarah whispers, not very quietly, and Jason laughs quickly, before clutching his stomach and moaning, softly.

"Ok?" Zack asks him.

"Hurts," Jason says. "But ok."

Trini is staring at them, lips quirked.

"You make a nice picture," she says. 

Zack makes a face a her, and she laughs. "Too bad we're gonna mess it up," she says, and climbs onto the couch on the opposite corner. "Billy, pick a movie and join us."

Billy is on the floor by the TV, sorting through DVDs.

"Don't you dare," Kim calls from the kitchen. "I told you what we're watching."

"You can't say we didn't try," Trini calls back.

Kim walks back from the kitchen. "Finish that in here," she tells Sarah, and then bring your homework to the living room, I'll help you."

"Netflix, Billy."

Billy obeys, clicking quickly through the select screens before pulling up Gilmore Girls. The music starts before they even press play, and Jason rolls over in Zack's lap.

"You're the best," he rasps. 

"Wait, really?" Trini says. "I swear to God, I thought Pretty Girl was lying."

"You think I'm pretty?" Kim says, giving her most predatory grin.

"I hate you," Trini says, but it's too late, Kim has cornered her and is climbing on top of her on the couch. But instead of sitting on her, Kim climbs off, and curls up next to Trini, pressing her body up against the other girl.

"Billy, get up here and join us," Kim says. "Puppy pile!"

There's just enough room for all of them. Billy lifts Jason's legs to slide under them, and they all move around a bit, trying not to jostle Jason, until everyone's comfortable. Zack strokes back Jason's hair, and repositions the two ice packs, before tugging the blankets tighter around them. It seems silly to have ice packs and then huddle under a comforter, but that's what seems to make Jason the most comfortable. That's how they stay, through three episodes of Gilmore Girls, handpicked by Kim. Jason falls asleep halfway through the first one, and Sarah crawls up in the second one, so Billy can help her with her homework. They're still like that, when Jason's parents get home around 8, curled around each other with Gilmore Girls playing in the background.


End file.
